Tabling plans for
e-Documents

The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet has issued a Tabling Circular setting out new arrangements for the electronic distribution of the Parliamentary Paper Series (ePPS).
   Tabling Circular No 2/2012, Electronic distribution of documents for the Parliamentary Paper series is directed at Parliamentary Liaison Officers and Tabling Officers.
   The Circular says that in its 2010 report on the Inquiry into the development of a digital repository and electronic distribution of the Parliamentary Papers Series, the Joint Committee on Publications (JCP) recommended that author departments and agencies be required to provide electronic copies of documents at the same time print copies were provided for tabling in the Parliament.
Circular sets out Parliamentary needs
   “The Government has agreed to this recommendation which is in keeping with its earlier decisions and consistent with best-practice in the publication and availability of government documents online,” the Circular says.
   “In summary, documents tabled in Parliament must also be available electronically and must conform to the mandatory requirements set out in the Australian Government Web Guide.
   “Once a document has been published on a department’s website, the department must notify the Parliament by email that the document is available online.”
   It says for a period of about 12 months, hard copies must continue to be sent to CanPrint (as was currently the practice) until such time as the new online system was properly established.
   “One factor that will be important to any Parliamentary review of the numbers of hard copies required will be timely compliance with the request for the web link,” it says.
   The Circular can be accessed at this PS News link.
Edition 345, 22 January 2013
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